Saudi Arabia ‘incredibly concerned’ about Red Sea, Gaza security, FM tells WEF

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks next to Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Annalena Baerbock during a panel session at WEF, in Davos, Switzerland. (AP)
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Updated 17 January 2024
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Saudi Arabia ‘incredibly concerned’ about Red Sea, Gaza security, FM tells WEF

  • Prince Faisal says peace between Israel, Palestinians ‘will resolve many of the challenges’ Mideast faces
  • Riyadh will continue to work with Washington ‘toward a much better future for the region,’ foreign minister says

LONDON: Saudi Arabia is “incredibly concerned” about regional security following Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and the situation in Gaza, the Kingdom’s foreign minister said on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan told a panel titled “Securing an Insecure World” that de-escalation in the Red Sea is essential, and that Riyadh will continue to “engage with all stakeholders” after US and UK airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen last week.
While “clearly connected with the war in Gaza,” it is important that the conflict in the Palestinian enclave is addressed separately, he said.
“We need to focus on the war in Gaza not because of the Red Sea,” he told the panel. “We need to focus on the war in Gaza because of its impact on the Palestinians, first, but on regional security in general and on the risks it poses for further escalation.”
Prince Faisal said since Israel began military operations in Gaza, nearly 30,000 Palestinians have died and humanitarian aid is still being heavily restricted, but he has “not seen any real sign” that Tel Aviv is achieving its strategic objectives.
He praised parts of the international community for “moving more in the direction” of calling for a cease-fire, adding that peace between the two sides “will resolve many of the challenges that we have in the region.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the war “a total disaster” and reiterated that the “only way out” of the ongoing situation is a two-state solution.
However, she said “a cease-fire, unfortunately, doesn’t fall from the sky” and can only be achieved if both sides “are ready.”
Baerbock said a “vicious circle” of blame is preventing a cease-fire from happening, but insisted that first and foremost, Hamas needs to lay down its weapons and release all remaining hostages in Gaza.
“The answer is there on the table,” she said. “But we can’t ignore that the majority of hostages are still (with) Hamas.”
US Sen. Christopher Coons said he is “optimistic” that peace can be achieved based on talks between American senators and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh in 2023, as well as meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv and Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi in Cairo.
However, Coons added that conditions in Gaza are worsening daily, and that Netanyahu has built a political career out of opposing a two-state solution.
Prince Faisal said he is heartened by the “concrete agreement” among major nations that the current situation is untenable, adding: “We need to translate that into action.”
He said Riyadh will continue to work with Washington “toward a much better future for the region,” and raised the possibility of future Saudi recognition of Israel if peace with the Palestinians could be reached.
Coons hinted that a series of elections in Western countries in 2024 could potentially affect the shape of the current set of Middle East crises.
He said Iran’s role in conflicts ranging from Yemen to Ukraine needs to be recognized, but talked down any possibility that a return to the White House for former President Donald Trump would lead to a US withdrawal from NATO. “The US rarely ratifies defense treaties, but when we do, we keep them,” Coons said.
Citing growing concerns about inter-regional conflicts, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: “What happens in Asia matters for Europe.”
He also noted that Iran is aiding Russia in Ukraine, selling Moscow military drones and helping it construct drone and munitions facilities in Tatarstan.
But he said there is cause for optimism for Ukrainians, noting Russia’s failure to make major progress following the early days of the invasion, and highlighting Kyiv’s success in opening up channels for the export of grain through the Black Sea.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said nobody wants to live in a world “where only the strongest survive,” adding that her country had felt compelled to join NATO because of Russia’s aggression, highlighting Moscow’s use of “hybrid strategies” to push “third-party citizens” from other countries into Europe via Finland’s border.
Pointing to Finland’s right to security, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yussuf Tuggar said: “What the minister says could apply just as much to Palestine — they have the right.”
He said the world needs to see concrete changes in the makeup of global security institutions, bemoaning a decline in international diplomacy, and adding that a country such as Nigeria should have a place on the UN Security Council. The UNSC “needs to democratize,” Tuggar said. “Clearly it isn’t fit for purpose.”
He added: “Nigeria is a large country. It’s the most populous country on the continent of Africa. It has a population of 220 million people — it’s going to be 400 million by the year 2050. It belongs in the UN Security Council.”


Postponed Saudi-Franco conference on Palestinian statehood rescheduled

Updated 15 sec ago
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Postponed Saudi-Franco conference on Palestinian statehood rescheduled

NEW YORK: A postponed Saudi-Franco conference to discuss Palestinian statehood has been rescheduled for July 28 to 29, it was announced on Friday.

“The two state solution ministerial conference will resume on the 28th and 29th July 2025, details will be shared shortly,” the French UN mission confirmed to Arab News.

Originally scheduled for June, it was postponed when Israel launched a military attack on Iran.


Saudi Arabia observes World Population Day

Updated 23 min 59 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia observes World Population Day

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia marked World Population Day, observed annually on July 11, with a focus on raising awareness of population issues and their impact on sustainable development and the environment.

World Population Day was established in 1989 by the UN Development Program amid rapid population growth, which required accurate and reliable data to support development strategies.

In this context, the Saudi General Authority for Statistics has enabled the Kingdom to stay abreast of global statistical advancements by adopting the latest international technologies and methodologies in conducting its census.

These efforts ensure the quality and accuracy of data, enhancing the reliability of statistical indicators that form the foundation of national plans and policies.

An integrated team at the authority is tasked with reviewing and verifying census data in accordance with the highest international standards, using advanced techniques for analysis and statistics. This work is carried out in cooperation with other government entities, ultimately contributing to the development of an accurate database that serves as a key reference for shaping economic and social policies.


Saudi Arabia aims to foster entrepreneurial ecosystem

Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti. (SPA)
Updated 28 min 40 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia aims to foster entrepreneurial ecosystem

  • The Sidra Accelerator is a 12-week intensive program targeting startup companies in the environmental technology field, the ministry said

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti has launched the second phase of the Sidra Accelerator initiative in Riyadh, SPA reports.

The initiative is designed to foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Saudi Arabia’s environmental sector in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.

The Sidra Accelerator is the first initiative of its kind in the region in terms of its targeted sectors and the locations of its selected entrepreneurship systems in Riyadh and Boston, SPA reports. 

The accelerator focuses on promoting collaboration and strategic partnerships. It also supports startup companies in navigating complex regulatory frameworks.

The Sidra Accelerator is a 12-week intensive program targeting startup companies in the environmental technology field, the ministry said.

It supports their development and scaling by connecting them to a wide network of local and international experts, providing access to global systems and markets, and facilitating cooperation with leading venture capital firms. Ultimately, the program will help them expand globally, the ministry said.

 

 


Saudi Arabia’s Mawhiba program empowers female students in Yanbu

The program is part of Mawhiba’s efforts to support gifted men and women. (X @mawhiba)
Updated 34 min 25 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia’s Mawhiba program empowers female students in Yanbu

  • The program’s activities include scientific visits, applied workshops and mini exhibitions, featuring active interaction from students and parents

RIYADH: Mawhiba’s Academic Enrichment Program continues in Yanbu Industrial City on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, SPA reports.

The program, which is implemented by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, also known as Mawhiba, has targeted a select group of talented female students in various scientific and cognitive fields.

According to SPA, the program is part of Mawhiba’s efforts to support gifted men and women, and integrates specialized scientific content, practical application and personal and leadership skills development in a stimulating learning environment.

Some 95 female students participating in the program are receiving rich scientific content in tracks that include inventions, chemistry and engineering design, in addition to developing thinking, innovation and entrepreneurship skills, under the supervision of a select group of qualified female trainers.

The program’s activities include scientific visits, applied workshops and mini exhibitions, featuring active interaction from students and parents.

Scientific and creative outputs will conclude the event, showcasing the efforts of the students and education team, which contributes to the discovery, development and support of talents in the field of excellence and creativity, SPA reports.

 


DCO launches new AI ethics tool to advance responsible technology use

Updated 11 July 2025
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DCO launches new AI ethics tool to advance responsible technology use

  • DCO AI Ethics Evaluator marks an important milestone in the organization’s efforts to translate its principles for ethical AI into practical action

GENEVA: Saudi Arabia’s Digital Cooperation Organization has launched a pioneering policy tool designed to help governments, businesses and developers ensure artificial intelligence systems are ethically sound and aligned with human rights principles, it was announced on Friday.

Unveiled during the AI for Good Summit 2025 and the WSIS+20 conference in Geneva, the DCO AI Ethics Evaluator marks an important milestone in the organization’s efforts to translate its principles for ethical AI into practical action, it said.

The tool is a self-assessment framework enabling users to identify and mitigate ethical risks associated with AI technologies across six key dimensions.

It provides tailored reports featuring visual profiles and actionable recommendations, aiming to embed ethical considerations at every stage of AI development and deployment.

Speaking at the launch, Omar Saud Al-Omar, Kuwait’s minister of state for communication affairs and current chairman of the DCO Council, described the tool as a resource to help AI stakeholders “align with ethical standards and apply strategies to mitigate human rights impacts.”

He said it drew on extensive research and global consultation to address the growing demand for responsible AI governance.

DCO Secretary-General Deemah Al-Yahya highlighted the urgency of the initiative: “AI without ethics is not progress, it’s a threat. A threat to human dignity, to public trust, and to the very values that bind our societies together.”

She continued: “This is not just another checklist, it is a principled stand, built on best practices and rooted in human rights, to confront algorithmic bias, data exploitation and hidden ethical blind spots in AI.”

Al-Yahya emphasized the evaluator’s wide applicability: “It’s not just for governments, but for anyone building our digital future — developers, regulators, innovators. This is a compass for responsible AI, because ethical standards are no longer optional. They are non-negotiable.”

Alaa Abdulaal, the DCO’s chief of digital economy intelligence, provided a demonstration of the tool at the launch.

“The future of AI will not be shaped by how fast we code, but by the values we choose to encode,” he said.

Also in Geneva, the “AI Readiness Assessment Framework” was reviewed by the Saudi Data & AI Authority.

This key initiative was developed in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union at the third Global AI Summit, held in Riyadh last year.

During the session, SDAIA representatives included Mohammed Al-Awad, director general of studies, and Rehab Al-Arfaj, director general of strategic partnerships and indicators. They praised the Kingdom’s global role in the governance and development of artificial intelligence technologies and emphasized its contributions to strengthening cooperation.

They also stressed several pioneering national AI initiatives and projects. These included “Aynay,” one of the Kingdom’s advanced medical solutions, which accurately detects and diagnoses diabetic retinopathy.

In addition, Al-Awad and Al-Arfaj highlighted Saudi Arabia’s efforts in launching the “AI Readiness Assessment Framework,” which embodies the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting safe, responsible and sustainable use and development of AI systems.